Manzoor Ahmed’s message from a police cell - To the workers of the world

Immediately upon being informed
of Manzoor’s arrest we rang the comrades in Lahore. Whether through the inefficiency of
the police, or because they were overwhelmed by the large number of arrests,
they forgot to confiscate Manzoor’s mobile phone. Comrade Alan Woods was therefore
able to speak to him in his cell, from which he delivered an inspiring message
for the workers of the world, which we publish here.

Comrades!

I am speaking to you from a
police cell in Gujranwala, the fifth largest city in Pakistan, where I was arrested this
morning, together with 150 of my comrades, for the crime of protesting against
the dictatorship of Pervez Musharraf. We were leading a mass demonstration of
thousands of ordinary people, poor people who support the PPP and oppose the
dictatorship.

Yesterday our parliament (the
National Assembly) was dissolved after five years. For this period I have
fought as a member of parliament for the rights of working people. I have
fought in parliament, in the factories, in the streets and in the villages. I
have fought against reactionary labour laws, against unemployment, against
poverty and injustice.

We have had important victories.
We defeated the attempt to privatise Pakistan Steel. But the real struggle
begins now: my struggle together with the masses to end this injustice. We know
that our struggle is supported by our friends and comrades in other countries
and this gives us strength to continue despite all obstacles.

Comrades, those who doubted our
perspectives for the rebirth of the People’s Party have been proved wrong. The
sectarian parties and groups have been liquidated overnight, wiped out by the
movement of the masses. Now nobody can doubt that the whole movement will
proceed through the PPP. These arrests will not deter us. The struggle will go
on. We will continue to fight for the revolution, for socialism.

To the working people of all
countries who are supporting us I have only this message. We are fighting
against dictatorship and martial law, for democratic rights. But my struggle is
not only against dictatorship. It is also against the system that spawns
dictatorship: capitalism and feudalism. And my struggle will not end until this
unjust and oppressive system is finally overthrown.

As long as there is still hunger,
unemployment and homelessness our struggle cannot end. It will never end until
there is socialism in Pakistan
and all over the world.

Please send my greetings to all
the comrades of the International. Send my greetings to all my friends and
comrades and to all the workers of the world.

Victory to the masses!

Victory to the working class!

Together we can win!

Zindabad!

Manzoor Ahmed,

In Model
Town Police Station in Gujranwala, Pakistan

November 16, 2007

We appeal to all workers and labour organisations to send messages of
protest to their local embassies. Telephone calls should be made to
embassies and consulates in order to put the necessary urgent pressure
on the regime to secure Manzoor's release. You can find information on
the Pakistani embassies and consulates in your country here. Send messages of support and solidarity to info [at] ptudc.org.